Chapter 5 : Love Problem?

The Xavier School grounds were meticulously landscaped, resembling a serene park enveloped by gardens, lawns, and abundant trees, creating an atmosphere of tranquility.

The following day, a Sunday, granted a welcomed reprieve to the students.

In the dormitory's downstairs lawn, Carl lounged on a chair, his legs casually crossed, hands clasped behind his head, basking in the comforting warmth of the sun.

Bathed in sunlight, Carl felt a comforting warmth spreading throughout his body, accompanied by the persistent chime of upgrades: Physique +3 and Strength +5.

Merely a day later, Carl's strength surged once more, his physique surpassing 300 points, and his strength nearing 5 tons.

The rapid pace of this advancement was remarkable.

It appeared that the greater his strength, the swifter his progress.

Furthermore, the increase in physique brought noticeable changes to Carl's body.

For instance, his vision sharpened to an extraordinary degree. He could now distinctly observe a mosquito flitting among the grass roots more than ten meters away, discerning even the faint flutter of its wings.

Clearly, this was an indication of heightened dynamic vision.

In addition to physique, the development of his spiritual attributes endowed Carl with remarkable mental fortitude, accelerating his cognitive processes.

Yet, peculiarly, there was no manifestation of an awakened spiritual ability.

Under normal circumstances, possessing over ten times the spiritual attributes of an ordinary person should inevitably lead to an awakened perception ability—perhaps psychokinesis.

Yet, Carl exhibited no extraordinary abilities apart from accelerated cognition and a blurred enhancement in perception.

As Carl contemplated the changes in his body, growing accustomed to the burgeoning power within him, Clarice's silhouette emerged at a distant corner of the pathway.

Today, she wore a white T-shirt paired with slim jeans, accentuating her petite stature of merely 1.5 meters, yet exuding an air of delicacy and clarity with her bewitching eyes and subtle purple accents against her fair skin.

Approaching Carl, the black-haired girl greeted cautiously, "Hey."

Carl redirected his gaze, a smile playing on his lips. "Good morning, Clarice."

However, as he lifted his gaze, failing to rein in his visual focus, Carl's line of sight inadvertently trailed upward from the ground, skimming over white flats, slender legs, and...

white fabric...

Ahem!!

Quickly readjusting his focus, Carl met the girl's gaze with an unflinching expression, as if nothing had transpired.

Unaware of Carl's momentary lapse, Clarice gestured towards the spot beside him, whispering, "Hey, mind if I sit here?"

"Of course, feel free."

"Thanks."

As she settled down, Clarice noticed Carl closing his eyes, seemingly relishing the warmth of the sun. She decided not to disturb him and instead retrieved her headphones, tuning into music while quietly indulging in her book.

The cover bore the title "Andersen's Fairy Tales," indicating her penchant for whimsical storytelling.

On the lawn chairs, girls sat with bent legs, listening to music and flipping through books, while boys lounged lazily, soaking in the sun. 

From a distance, the scene seemed invitingly warm.

However, this warmth was soon disrupted.

Shortly after Clarice settled in, four boys approached from a distance.

Leading the pack was a boy with short brown hair and a defiant demeanor, clearly not one to be easily intimidated upon first glance.

Their intentions were evident, evidently targeting Carl and his group.

At the sight of these boys, Clarice's expression shifted abruptly, displaying disgust, fear, and envy.

Among the four, the leader called out loudly, "Hey, Clarice! We swung by your dorm hoping to hang out, but alas, you weren't there."

"So, here you are." Bernard's gaze then shifted to Carl.

"Bernard, what do you want from me?" The girl seemed apprehensive, instinctively drawing closer to Carl.

Though the four mutants wore smiles, Carl, with his formidable mental powers, sensed a hint of hostility emanating from them, prompting him to open his eyes.

Simultaneously, basic information about the four individuals flashed through his mind.

Bernard, a fifteen-year-old middle schooler, possessed the mutant ability of short-distance teleportation, exuding dominance and leading a small clique within the class.

Johnny, also in middle school, at fourteen years old, had the ability to transform into a bear, unleashing immense strength akin to that of a raging bear and sprouting thick fur all over his body upon transformation.

As for Claude...

Ignoring Clarice's inquiry, Bernard directed his gaze at Carl, who reclined in his chair with a cold countenance, a glimmer of challenge in his eyes.

"Carl West, I know you."

"Indeed," Carl replied nonchalantly.

As an adult, Carl had little inclination to engage with these middle schoolers. However, it was evident that they were up to no good, hence his less-than-polite demeanor.

Carl's response left the four Bernards feeling uneasy, and Johnny, resembling a bear with his bulk, chimed in, "West, aren't you aware that Clarice is Bernard's girlfriend?"

Suddenly, the girl next to Carl interjected hastily: "No, I definitely didn't agree that day."

Observing the girl's somewhat fierce reaction, Bernard spoke sincerely: "Clarice, I truly like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"

With a resolute shake of her head, the girl maintained her stance: "But I don't like you."

Observing this exchange, Carl could vaguely discern why Clarice had turned down Bernard.

Simultaneously, they also understood the origins of the animosity from Bernard and his companions.

But... a middle schooler attempting to coerce a thirteen-year-old into love, is the Western culture really this forward?

Or perhaps he's just behind the times.

Starting romantic relationships at such a young age? Shouldn't middle schoolers be focused on their studies rather than love troubles?

However, it must be noted, this kid possesses quite discerning eyes.

He's actually noticed Clarice's potential.

Recognizing that as she matures, she will blossom into a stunning, alluring beauty.

****

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